Who Would've Thought Fixing A Spaceship Would Be So Difficult: A Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop Review

By Manuel

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, XBox Series XS, PlayStation 5, PC (Steam)

There was a time where it felt like every other indie game being released was a roguelike of some kind. The amount of releases has dropped in recent months, but the game we're going to look at today is quite the original take on the genre. Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop is a roguelike spaceship repair game that released late last year on consoles and PC. It comes to us by way of developer Bread Envy, and publisher Kasedo Games. We're going to be taking a look at the game on the Nintendo Switch today, and see if this game has what it takes to stand out in a crowded genre. There's a lot to cover here, so let's get straight to the review!

Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop is a really odd game no matter how you look at it, and the strangeness begins with its story. You play as Wilbur, a new hire at the titular Rocket Shop. He's a humanoid fox with a few extra eyes, and he's a man of few words. His first task is to jettison the guy he's replacing into space, and this is a precursor to what awaits him if he messes up. You're never given all that much info regarding Wilbur himself, but the rest of the cast that surrounds him are quite colorful. None of that matters to Wilbur though, as his main focus is ensuring that he has enough money to pay his R.E.N.T. each cycle. Failure to do so will result in his termination, and that term can be taken quite literally in this case. Those who have worked a dead end retail job will probably say that the "bad" outcome will at least bring an end to the terrible job, but that's not the case here. This is a roguelike after all, so Wilbur is sent back to Day One each time he dies. Death can come in all sorts of ways, and not all of them are brought about through the actions of the player. There really isn't too much of a story here, though there is quite a bit of lore regarding the characters and the shop itself, but that's fine. We're here to fix things and make money, and things like plot just get in the way. There is enough of a story here to satisfy those who need a narrative in all of their games, and it's as silly and random as you'd expect. The action is fast-paced though, and the game does a good job of getting you into the thick of things quickly. This is not a game for those looking for an easygoing experience, and I mean that in the most ominous way possible. With that, let's move the discussion to gameplay.

Each in-game day sees Wilbur clock in to work, and take on a series of jobs. These jobs can bring him one step closer to making R.E.N.T, or put him deeper into debt, depending on how they go. There are two main ways to play Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop, with each of them affecting how many jobs you're able to take on during each in-game day. The standard Frantic Mode limits you to eight real minutes to complete as many jobs as you can, while the Focused Mode lets you take on only three jobs a day. I haven't even gotten to what these jobs entail yet, and I'm already about to go on my first rant regarding the game. Though the Frantic Mode is the default way to play the game, I found it to be mostly unplayable for those who don't like ripping their hair out in frustration over playing an unfair game. I realize that it literally has "frantic" in its name, but there's only so much one person can take. Not only will you waste much of your time simply figuring out what to do, but you're also not given any extra time over the PC version of the game. I know that's an odd point to make, but the console controls are extremely clunky, and add literal minutes to many of the in-game tasks. Your next thought may be that things will get easier as you play, but that's not always the case. Some jobs just take a long time by way of their overall complexity, and these more complicated jobs are the ones you'll need to complete if you want to earn the most money. It took me about five runs before I was able to complete my first R.E.N.T cycle, and well over ten before I completed the second. There's something to be said about games that throw you into the deep end right away, but I can't really see any silver lining here. Obviously my distaste for Frantic Mode means that should switch to Focused Mode, but that leads me to rant number two.

Focused Mode may give you all the time you need to complete a job, but you are now required to compete said job perfectly. It's really hard to describe exactly what "perfect" means in this context, but imagine working a fast food job, and having to make every meal look like the staged pictures on the menu. That pretty much give you an idea as to what to expect, since you can't mess up even a little or you'll end up with some sort of penalty. Failing a job, or even not completing it to a client's satisfaction, can actually cost you money. This not only means that you wasted all the time you put into the job itself, but that you probably ruined the entire run too. Add to this the fact that you can only complete three jobs a day in this mode, and you have a second way to play that's just as frustrating as the first. Focused Mode does at least give you the time necessary to do your work, but I can't help but feel that this game needed some other difficulty options. I don't think I've ever seen a game feel so unfriendly to casual players than this one. There's always going to be a certain set of gamers who'll say that those who can't hang with a difficult game should just get better, but then one has to wonder who those types of games are actually for. Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop seems highly rated online, but I've noticed that negative reviews have started to trickle in more recently. I haven't even gotten to the actual meat of the game, and I already don't feel like playing it. After all, why should I? You have two less-than-perfect ways to play the game, and the choice between them is basically choosing the lesser of two evils.

Seeing as I have tons of issues with something as basic as the way the game gives players tasks, it probably comes as no surprise that I can barely stand the core gameplay either. Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop is basically a series of randomly generated repair jobs that you must complete without any sort of in-game tutorial. Instead of being told directly how to complete a repair, you must consult an in-game manual that has contains details on all of the game's jobs. Going through this gigantic tome can be very overwhelming at first, though each job does give you a symbol that will help you locate the correct chapter of the book that pertains to your current task. Once you have the right chapter chose, you'll then go back and forth from the book to the job, and hopefully fix whatever is wrong with the ship. Some jobs can be completed with your basic tools and machines, while others will require you to purchase replacement parts, and maybe even extra equipment, in order to finish them. The latter requirement is told to you before you accept a job, but purchasing replacement parts can often eat into your profits if you're not careful. Replacement parts are also necessary if you break anything while making a repair, and you'll do that far more often than you think. There will of course be several times where you'll screw up a job because you skipped past a step or two, but at least you'll feel like those failures are your own fault. In case my earlier statements haven't made it clear, don't expect to be able to make R.E.N.T in those first runs. The trial-by-fire you go through with each job does get easier as you play, but most tasks will forever have a narrow margin for success. I guess that's to be expected, but it's like the game tries to make every single aspect of the game as difficult as possible.

It may sound like I'm done with my complaints, but I'm just getting started. I'm actually a big fan of roguelike games, and I live for the gameplay loop they provide. The problem here is that there were several jobs that I just never could wrap my head around. If this were a game that only had you do the most basic of tasks, I'd be all in, but you'll quickly get jobs that feel way out of your skill level in just your first run. It took me no less than eight different jobs, across at least five runs, to finally figure out how to shut off a ship's security system. I still don't really know how I managed to figure it out, but I was so tired by the end that I didn't even feel very accomplished over succeeding in something I'd spent probably an hour trying to figure out. Making matters worse, "fixing" that security system that taught me that not all tasks lead to permanent results. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I wanted to break my controller when the security alarm started going off again a minute later, and that's just one anecdote from my time with the game. There are also several jobs that I just never was able to figure out. Anything having to do with VR flew right over my head, and I reset the game each time those jobs came up. I can also rapid fire off other complaints. Permanent upgrades felt too expensive for what they provided, getting tons of jobs early on that required equipment I couldn't afford was just odd, literally having a client kill me before I could even get to work was just stupid, and the ever-present issue of the console controls were always there to make everything just a little bit worse. I'm convinced that some tasks, like diffusing a bomb, are near impossible to complete using a controller. It didn't take long for me to wish that I had never taken up this game to review in the first place, and I'm glad that I'm almost done here.

Having gone through all that ranting, I do have to admit that there are some parts of the game that I liked. The graphics are cute and colorful, and serve as the perfect mismatch for all the insanity that goes on elsewhere in the game. The music is also great, as are the gibberish sounds that stand in for actual voice acting. I've said many times that any sound in place in voice acting is better than silence, and this game proves my point. Then there's the writing in general, which I feel is the single best aspect of the game. Some deaths and failed jobs stung a little less thanks to the way the game handled them. I laughed more than I thought I would, and I actually don't want to get too deep into the game's plot so as to leave some surprises for those who go on to play the game despite my warnings. I'm not blind to the fact that there is an audience out there for a tough-as-nails roguelike simulator like this, it's just that I'm of the mind that the game could've cast a much wider net with only a few changes. It's a very original take on the genre, and one that sometimes had me thinking that it couldn't be as bad as I was making it out to be. I'd then go back to the game and realize that I wasn't gaslighting myself, but I still kept thinking that, even now. I also have to remind everyone that this is essentially a review of the release on consoles, as it plays quite differently on PC. I had an opportunity to try out that version of the game thanks to a friend who already owned it, and I can say that it is FAR more playable there. Simply having mouse controls made the game a million easier, and it made me wonder why the console port happened at all. This is a game that very nearly broke me, but I also can't bring myself to say that it's all bad. There are plenty of problems with pacing and difficulty, but there just might be a good game under all that frustrating gameplay if you're willing to put in the work to find it.

Considering that Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop is a roguelike game, it makes sense that it would be highly replayable. I put in about ten hours across the Switch and Steam versions of the game, and I can at least say that I was still seeing new things in my later runs. Not only is there plenty of variety in the jobs, but there's lots of side content too, and permanent upgrades that can be purchased to make subsequent runs easier. I didn't mention the latter in the review, but that's mainly because I didn't find them all that helpful in my case. My point here is that there are countless hours of gameplay here, and I've seen plenty of people online mention putting dozens of hours into the game. It's also worth mentioning that the developer has put out several content updates since release, with the most recent apparently making the game a bit easier. I didn't check out this update before writing this review, but I don't think anything short of easier gameplay modes warrant giving the game another look. I'm serious when I say that I never want to play this game myself, but I am all for that level of commitment to a product. I'm sure this game is a labor of love, and I take no pleasure in being as harsh as I've been most of this review. Wrapping this part up, there's a lot of game here if you're willing to put in the time, I'm just at the end of my patience with this one.

This has been one of the hardest reviews I've ever had to write. Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop's humor did keep me invested, but that obligation is the one thing that drove me to keep playing. It may not be the worst game I've ever played, but it's one that I had to force myself to keep playing. I'd have quit this in the first hour otherwise, and that's ultimately why I can't recommend the game to anyone but the most hardcore roguelike fan. If you're one of the latter, then you'll probably find something to enjoy here. It's a very unique game that can be fun if you're less prone to frustrating gameplay than I am. I'd still advise picking it up on PC over consoles, but that's neither here nor there. If you do end up picking it up, maybe drop me a message regarding those VR repairs. I still don't know what the game wants me to do there. And with that, I can thankfully say that I have this game behind me forever. See you in the next one.

Check Out Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/uncle-chops-rocket-shop-switch/

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Story: B
Gameplay: C-
Graphics: A
Music/Sound: A
Value: A

Overall: B-

Pros:
+ A neat take on the roguelike genre. It (somewhat) successfully mixes together puzzle and simulation gameplay in a way that feels unique.
+ The central plot may not be very deep, but the overall lore is. Each of the game's characters are memorable, and the writing is spot on.
+ Presentation is strong here. Both the graphics and music are top notch.
+ While I had plenty of issues with the gameplay, there is quite a bit of variety here. I was still seeing new things several hours in.
+ Priced very reasonably at $19.99, and the developers have put out several big updates since release.

Cons:
- The overall difficulty feels far too high. This is a game that made me feel frustration more than anything else.
- I'm surprised that the console releases came at the same time as the Steam one, as they feel like two different games. Playing the game with a controller adds minutes to some in-game tasks.
- Neither of the two gameplay modes are beginner-friendly, and the first couple hours of the game seem determined to drive off all but the most hardcore.
- Long-term upgrades feel too inconsequential, and having it takes far too long to make any real progress.
- There are several in-game tasks that still go completely over my head.
- Broke me in damn near every way. This may not be a bad game, but it's one that will only appeal to a certain kind of gamer.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

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I'm just glad this one is finally done...